Protect rights of free speech and assembly

The images of sheriff's deputies called in to keep order at a recent Monroe County Legislature meeting dealing with the appointment of a new public defender are chilling.

The images of sheriff's deputies called in to keep order at a recent Monroe County Legislature meeting dealing with the appointment of a new public defender are chilling.

The stories of members of the public who attended in order to speak their piece, but instead were told to wait outside the Legislature chambers, escorted through the building by deputies outrage. When they did get to speak, deputies escorted them to the podium and stood watch close by.

The need for such an intimidating presence is still being debated; the mere mention of a threat by protesters prompted the beefed up security presence, but details have not been shared with the public.

A scary thought is the effect that such a visible show of security could have for future public meetings, where people are guaranteed the right to peacefully assemble and debate the issues of the day without fear. If it happened so easily in this case, might this mean business as usual once the public defender controversy has faded from consciousness?

Possibly, without vigilance.

Many municipalities throughout the country, the town of Irondequoit included, are taking officers off the beat and moving them into the boardroom in the wake of a shooting that left five people dead at a public meeting in Missouri.

County and town officials have been dealing with upset constituents for years – some of those who express their anger with government appropriately, others who haven’t. Yet in Irondequoit, as with the County Legislature, any number of less intrusive means of ensuring law and order at meetings have proved appropriate. What changed?

The intent of the extra security, at least in the case of the County Legislature, wasn’t meant to stifle the expression of ideas, although it might have for some. And that’s the scary part.

Members of the public lead busy lives, and may not see what happened here as having a great effect on how they go about their day. But democracy doesn’t give excuses for youth soccer practices or late days at the office; it requires people who make a point of watching their government in action, understanding how it works, speaking out when they disagree with their elected leaders and voting.

Perhaps we the people have grown too accustomed to being told to be afraid since the days of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, from new attacks real or imagined, but the dangers to democracy are fear, and complacency.

For example, it’s not a stretch to say that a police presence might deter some from expressing their ideas and opinions if such a heavy-handed practice is continued. Stifling debate and marginalizing the public only provokes anger and frustration, which can in extreme cases result in the very outbreak that the security measures are in place to prevent.

The erosion of rights is subtle, but once taken away they’re difficult to restore, particularly with a public that either doesn’t see this as a problem, or doesn’t care.